


Rogues Gallery

by FictionWriterD



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mutants, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Ancient Korea, Angels, Darkness, Demons, F/F, F/M, Korean Mythology, Serpent, Soul Reaper, The Void, black hole, demon slayer - Freeform, space
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:29:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26464189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionWriterD/pseuds/FictionWriterD
Summary: Where there is light, there will always be dark.  Where there are heroes, there must always be villains.  This is who they are.





	1. Enter La Llorona

Of the city of Sunnyvale's many districts and neighborhoods, the one known as Romero was one of the most chaotic. Fires raged uncontrolled for days before anyone was sent in to deal with them, and with the fire department abolished for 'safety' reasons, there wasn't anyway to deal with the inferno. The neighborhood had been on fire long before the AXIS soldiers moved in to maintain order. Ever since the night of the meteor shower and subsequent exposure to the unidentified virus, the city of Sunnyvale was a hotbed of activity.

People rioted, buildings burned, and worst of all monsters appeared. At first they were only infected humans but quickly enough the virus, through some unknown means, infected other things as well. Animals and plants went from cute and unassuming to violent and unpredictable. Maintaining order was the last thing the AXIS soldiers expected to do now that mutated monstrosities were becoming more and more frequent.

There was an apartment complex that was somehow untouched by the fires around it, and it was here that Charlie Company of AXIS Unit 7 was supposed to begin rounding up civilians for evacuation. Twenty soldiers waited outside the building's main entrance. All of them were armored and armed with AR-15 assault rifles. Their leader, codenamed Sparrow, clad fully in the AXIS uniform of red and black armor from head to foot addressed his men.

He spoke with a commanding voice, "Alright gents, listen up! We have a priority to safely Evac civvies from this neighborhood. Starting with this apartment building before your eyes. Once we have started we have six hours to complete it and move on to the next neighborhood. Command wants this place cleared out ASAP-"

All of the soldiers listened intently, ignoring the fact that coming from inside the building were men and women in white and yellow hazmat suits pulling body bags out from the building. No doubt civilians dead from the infection or, in other cases, suicides. At least a dozen had been pulled out on the first floor alone.

"-if you see a civilian you are to escort them out of the building one at a time. Should they refuse to comply you are authorized to use force. Break their arms if you have to, so to speak. Use deadly force only when necessary. I don't want to have to do extra paperwork to explain why one of you fucked up. Understood?"

The officer waited for a response but expected none. No one responded. Good.

"Alright then. Four floors in the building. I want five men to a floor. Kick in doors if they are locked and hurry it up. Simmons, you go in first, followed by Jackson. Let's go!"

Simmons nodded once and hustled inside, moving past a scientist coming out with another body bag.

Even before all the men were ready Sparrow heard the sound of a door being kicked in and shouting could be heard from outside the building. Something about protocol and Sparrow hoped the civvie wasn't going to argue about his rights or some other bullshit like that. That was the last thing he wanted to hear.

Not long after that all twenty men were inside. Then a shot rang out from the second floor. White flashes came from the window and screaming was heard. Within a minute the floor went silent.

Immediately Sparrow got on the radio. "Starnes, what the fuck was that?"

"Eh, sorry Sparrow, civvie was armed with a shotgun. Self-defense, you know." Starnes was an idiot of a soldier. Trigger happy and irritable. A con turned solider in return for his freedom. Sparrow didn't understand why he had him in his unit. Sparrow wouldn't have been surprised if he had shot the civvie for the hell of it.

"Anyone else in the unit?"

"Not that I can see. A dog-or what remained of one-nope we're clear."

"Then fucking move it, Starnes. Floor 2 what's the situation?"

Another soldier, who went by the name of Lizard, spoke over the radio. "Found a family of three in room 203, Sparrow. Self-inflicted gunshots to the chest and head. Nothing else so far."

As sad as that sounded, Sparrow noticed it was a common theme in this town. The virus scared people so much that, those without hope, decided to control their own fate. Had he not had the mental fortitude he might have done the same thing. Better to be dead by his own hand than turn into a mutated monster. "Very well, Lizard, move on. Floor 3, how goes it?"

The officer in charge of that floor was a man by the name of Raccoon. What was it with his men being given animal codenames?

"First two rooms were empty, sir. Must have cleared out in the last few days. Evidence of panicked packing and an empty safe. Figures." Raccoon was a man with physical prowess and was sharp as a razor to boot.

"Keep me posted, Coon. Floor 4 what's going on?"

"Fucking hell its hot up here sir."

That was from the officer named Spot. Apparently it was short for 'spot on', as in he usually hit the mark. He also had a tendency to complain about everything. "Talk to me, Spot."

"Sorry. Must be from the fact that the city is hell but fuck is it hot-" a loud grunt came over the radio as Spot kicked in a door. "Inside room 401...the hell?"

"Spot?"

"Uh sir, there's some weird plants growing in here. All over the walls and sprouting some yellow flowers that are oozing some viscus liquid of sorts."

Sparrow had heard of these plants, they usually indicated that the virus had been incubating in the location for quite some time. Protocol called for any and all traces of biological anomalies to be eradicated as soon as possible. Otherwise the result would be complete infection of the surrounding area, as well as everyone who came in contact with it.

"Spot, fall back outside, forget the mission."

"No need to tell me twice, sir-wait, the hell is that?"

"What is it?"

"Sir, I think I found something interesting. The kitchen is demolished, but the fridge looks like it was holding something. Looks like a cocoon of sorts. You know like those bugs on the Discovery Channel? Damn thing is bigger than me."

Now things were getting complicated and Sparrow didn't like it. "I'll get the AXIS nerds on it ASAP, Spot. Just get your ass outside. We're terminating this operation. there's no telling what's in the building."

"Roger that-"

"the fuck is that?"

One of the soldiers with Spot spoke over his radio, no doubt seeing something Spot failed to notice.

"What is it?"

"I hear something. Sounds like someone is crying-You there! Halt!"

Sparrow felt his blood pump hard, "The hell is going on up there, Spot?"

"A civvie in the bedroom-god damn what is wrong with her? She okay?"

"Talk to me, son."

"A woman in rags...slightly emancipated from the looks of it. She is alive but damn does she smell."

"Smells like chlorine. Sir, those aren't rags, it looks like a yellow hazmat suit."

An infected scientist? Sparrow didn't know what was going on but protocols ran through his head like clockwork. "Assess the situation and keep the civvie in check. I'll be up in a sec."

"Roger that. Ma'am sit still and we will help you-the fuck? Is her skin is turning yellow!?"

"Fuck she's infected!"

A barrage of gunfire quickly followed, and so did the screaming of both men.

"Fuck! Bullets aren't doing shit!"

"Keep firing! We have to-GAAARRGH!"

"My god Spot! She touched him and he is melting away! No, you stay away from me you-NOOOO!"

The gun fire soon subsided and Sparrow's heart skipped a beat. He had lost men before in combat, but this...what he heard on the radio sent a chill up his spine. He could hear from the ground outside the screaming of his men and he stalled for a moment.

Then he snapped out of it in time to give the only order he knew. "Starnes, Lizard, fuck everything and get to the fourth floor! I'm on my way."

Over the radio he heard his men confirm his order and boots rumbled up steps to reach the top floor. Eighteen soldiers went to the rescue of their comrades, but it was too late for them, though they didn't know it.

Yet.

More gunfire followed screaming and loud thuds echoed through the building as one by one the men of Unit 7 were torn apart by some force that their weapons were ineffective against.

By the time Sparrow made it to the fourth floor he saw bodies of his men littering the hallway. Their armor and skin were being melted by some yellow ooze, their weapons also suffering the same effect.

Sparrow came up the staircase just in time to see one of his men being thrown through a wall. He was dead long before he went through the eight inch wall.

Then from the same hole in the wall stepped out the perpetrator of this massacre. The woman in the hazmat suit. Wrapped around her upper body, the biohazard symbol like her personal insignia on her slim chest, it looked like a tattered prom dress with the ragged and torn 'skirt' of sorts trailing behind her. Her skin was a pale yellow and devoid of any other clothing with dark green veins going across her face and skin. Her eyes pierced through the dust, showing off cat yellow colored irises. Her hair disheveled and long, was brown with grey streaks.

The stench of chlorine was in the air and Sparrow felt a bit light headed because of it. Not only that, but he swore he could hear loud sobbing coming from her.

"Dios mio...la Llorona!"

That came from the soldier next to Sparrow. All he knew was that he was Spanish and was scared to death of this creature.

Yet what got Sparrow was the woman's eyes. When she turned to face the men it was a death glare. One full of hate and anger towards all in the world.

Her fists clenched and she gave an inhuman scream directed at the men. The shockwave that came knocked the majority of them down the stairs.

Sparrow was the unlucky one as he merely stumbled back a step.

He gathered himself and raised his weapon, but before he could even pull the trigger, Llorona had moved to him and drove her hand right through his chest with immense strength. Her knuckles exploded out of his back, blood and gore splattered the white painted wall behind him.

The last thing he saw was the yellow tears flowing from the eyes of la Llorona as she glared back at him. She then tossed his lifeless body to the floor without a second thought, and turned to the rest of the AXIS unit.

Gunfire erupted from the remaining men of Unit 7. Those with enough sense to do so ran for their lives, but only two or three managed to do so. The rest of the unit was slaughtered mercilessly. Then she turned to those stupid enough to be in the building after it had all started.

After she had massacred the men, as well as anyone else she came across in the building, Llorona stumbled outside the front entrance. Her bare feet dragged across the concrete as her head was drooping downward. Her hands and chest were covered in fresh blood but she was undisturbed by it, as well as her own actions.

As one of the many byproducts of the virus that ravaged the city and the world, the woman had little memory of what she was like before she had been infected. All she knew was pain. Physical and mental pain and she didn't know which one hurt more.

Yet she knew one thing for certain.

They would all suffer as she had suffered. She would make sure of that.

Raising her head, Llorona turned south, noticing the steeple of St. Mary's church in the distance lit up like a beacon beckoning to her.

She narrowed her eyes and started walking.


	2. Baem, the Soultaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In ancient Korea, there are deities meant to be feared. On Yeonog Island, there are some so feared they need to be forgotten. However, some never stay that way.

Yeonog Island. An unassuming island in the central Pacific Ocean the island is territory of South Korea and has been since the end of the Korean War. The population was mostly Korean and Japanese, and was a frequent vacation spot. It has a rather dark reputation that few could admire since it is a place where thousands upon thousands of people were buried. A third of the island is made up almost entirely of graves dating back the Joseon period. So when time came to cultivate the island for the population of living humans, it was kind of tricky to not disturb any of the final resting places for the departed.

Yet it was accomplished with some changes. The City of the Dead, where the souls of the departed would go to accept final judgement, was spared for its cultural significance. Still there was profit to made in saving the city. Now, the famous city was a tourist attraction and was a source of income for the island.

Riddled across the island were shrines to demigods and famous humans who were buried in city and thus protect it from outside forces. North of the capital city of Danku and on the edge of the Dead City, one such shrine was having some rowdy visitors.

The sun was going down and with school being let out Ara and a few of her classmates had decided to visit a shrine on the way home. A way to deter the usual routine of their lives. The three girls, all brunette and between the ages of sixteen and seventeen could have been seen as sisters instead of close friends. That is were it not for differing hairstyles between them. All three wore the black and white school uniforms of Jookran High, one of three high schools on the island.

"Remind me why we are going to this shrine? They ain't special since we grew up around them," said a taller girl named Bitna, an athletic type who didn't really like history. Evidenced by how she was nearly failing history and culture.

Still, Ara got her wish and they ended up going anyway. The shrine they were just reaching had been mostly hidden in the trees and she had never noticed it before this morning when she thought she had seen it through the brush. "Call it curiosity. I don't think I have ever noticed it until today."

"Well could we hurry it up and do whatever it is you came here to do? I got to watch the latest episode of Pretty Boys back home and it starts in less than an hour." The third girl stood at the base of the stairs. Yoo-ri was a girl who was the epitome of the valley girl type: always talking about clothes and boys and preferring to not get her hands dirty. That and she was always on her phone.

Ara rolled her eyes and ignored the complaint.

The shrine was smaller than she had expected and was in such disrepair that it looked more like a shack the way the roof was falling in and the oil lamp posts outside were knocked over. The entrance itself was almost collapsed and she had to duck to get a peek inside. Nothing but shadows on the inside, though she could make out a statue of some sorts on the far wall covered in spider webs. "Interesting..."

"I know right?"

"Huh-ow!" Ara raised her head in surprise she forgot the collapsed beam was above her. She rubbed the sore spot and turned to see a young man dressed in the boys' uniform of the school she went to. She recognized him as well, and she wasn't too pleased to see him. "Min-jin, what are you doing here?"

The young man was the athletic type and was an appropriate jock with a broad build but other than that he was unassuming. That is until he tried to pick up girls. He was a nuisance. "Saw you three babes coming here and thought I'd say hello."

Yoo-ri put her phone away. She wasn't getting a signal anymore. No point in trying to get a call through. "Meaning you were following us?"

Bitna put her hands on her hips, "That's creepy."

Not phased Min-jin shrugged his shoulders. "Not anymore since you know I am here."

"That's not the point."

The conversation was ended as they all heard Ara trying to live up a heavy wooden beam from in front of the doorway. Try as she might she couldn't get it to budge.

"Need some help? Let a big strong dude-"

Min-jin grabbed hold of the beam and effortlessly pushed it to lean on the wall.

"-give you a hand."

"Thanks," said Ara out of courtesy. She didn't really care for the guy as much as he had tried to impress her.

Now she turned her attention to the inside of the shrine. Picking up a stick she used it to brush aside the spider webs in her path and walked on in.

Min-jin didn't hesitate and walked on in as well, turning only to ask the other two girls if they were coming in as well.

Both of them declined.

"I don't think so, the dust in there will aggravate my nose," said Bitna.

"And I am so not getting dirty," responded Yoo-ri in a definitive tone.

By the time Min-jin had turned back to Ara she was already examining the statue in the back of the room.

The statue was a bust of some sorts, most likely a sitting Buddha, though the shape was definitely not as such. From what Ara could make out it looked more like a serpent or a dragon's head. It had a crown of sorts surrounding its face, and many sharp pointed teeth. Not so odd, considering in most texts she read about in culture class, Yeonog had portrayed snakes as monsters that devoured souls.

There was stone slab at the base of the statue, written in ancient Korean. Most of it was chiseled and damaged but by looking close enough Ara could make out one word.

Baem.

"Baem? Is that the name of the person buried here?" asked Min-jin, genuinely sounding curious now.

Still, Ara had her doubts. "I don't think this is where a person is buried. More like a dedicated shrine to appeasing an angry and dangerous spirit."

"How would you know?"

Ara scratched her nose. The dust was starting to get to her sinuses. "Don't you pay any attention in history? Baem is the word for serpent, and when it comes to this island, serpents usually devoured the spirits of the dead or in some cases, stole those from the living."

"So?"

"So the only way to appease one was to seal it in places like this-"

Min-jin walked up to the statue and looked it right in its pale white lifeless eyes. "So what? That stuff is old stories meant to scare people." He mockingly waved his hands in front of it, pretending to be scared. "I'm not afraid."

He pushed the stone on the forehead and it instantly fell back, landing on the shelf behind the pedestal before falling right to the ground. It shattered into many pieces.

"Oops," said the boy with some sarcasm.

Ara on the other hand was quite upset. "You dolt! That thing was ancient! Worth more than-"

Her diatribe was cut short as the air suddenly and inexplicably got colder. Sure the sun was almost down but at the same time it was still summer. It felt like a freezer inside the shrine now. Not just inside however, as the two girls outside felt it too, though not as much as the two students inside.

"Okay, now that is creepy," said the boy. His tone had been sincere.

Wrapping her arms around herself Ara shivered. Not just from the cold but from the feeling that something was terribly wrong. "W-what's going on?"

Min-jin stepped back from the pedestal. "I'm not sure..."

He turned to Ara, intending to comfort her, and failed to notice the swirling white mist behind him.

Ara didn't fail and her mouth went wide in shock, "Look!"

The boy turned in time to see a man shaped figure standing right behind him. Tall, wearing a white cloak that was opened to expose the chest and dark grey skin that looked like scales, the being was much taller than Min-jin and was imposing to boot. Yet what got both teenagers' attention was the face. It was modeled just like the statue that had just been broken. That is, except for the fact that the eyes were bright red and seemed to be full of anger.

Min-jin took a step back in outright fear. Bitna and Yoo-ri stood in the doorway, having heard their classmates inside they had come to investigate. They immediately screamed before they took off running in the opposite direction.

Min-jin did the same and made for the entrance. Ara did as well though she was a mere step or two behind him.

In his rush he stumbled against the wooden beam he had moved earlier and it fell right back down, but also it caused more damage. Unfortunately for Ara it had cut her off from her escape as she had stopped to avoid getting crushed. A cloud of dust was kicked up, stopping her from breathing, but that didn't matter as she was now trapped inside with whatever it was stalking her.

She called out to her friends but they were long gone. "Hey! Come back!"

No one heard her cries. That is except for the creature that walked up behind her.

Ara turned and could only gasp before the spirit grabbed her by the throat. The strength of the monster instantly cut off her windpipe as it easily lifted her off the ground and high above its own head. Ara pounding her fist on its clawed arm with what strength she had but her lack of air prevented her from getting more than a hit or two off before she felt her head start to spin.

Yet the monster wasn't through with just throttling her. With its free hand it shoved itself into the girl's chest. However, no blood was spilled, and no pain was felt by Ara. Her mouth went wide at the initial contact but after that she felt nothing.

That was all she ever feel.

Baem pulled its hand out of the girl's chest, but it wasn't empty handed. From deep within the recesses of the human body he effortlessly pulled her young delicious spirit from the confines of the flesh. The human's eyes went white and her skin grew pale before her arms fell to her sides and her legs went limp. Lifeless.

Meanwhile in his other hand, the spirit of Ara struggled with her captor but his grip on her was just as strong as it had been for her human body and she was unable to break free.

With his magic Baem absorbed Ara's soul into his own body, reinvigorating him partially after two thousand years of wallowing in darkness and trapped in that statue. He dropped her lifeless, as well as soulless, corpse to land in a heap on the ground. He didn't have a second thought for what he did.

Instead his thoughts were only for more. More souls to devour, more to take.

For after two thousand years, Baem the Soultaker was finally free.


	3. 003: Eager Apprentice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arias Webb is an apprentice Demon Slayer of the Order of St. Benedict and is extremely determined to get to his holy business. Maybe too extreme...

New York City Police Station was usually active at this time of night and tonight was no different. Druggies, prostitutes, and murderers were handcuff and in the cells awaiting their turn with their lawyers or whoever came to see them. No one saw them in this underground cell area though. Instead the front of the station gave a serene vibe that was all just a mask to hide the discomfort and discord that lay under the city's sugarcoated top. For this reason no one thought God was doing enough to help his fellow children. So to see two men dressed as priests walk into a police station was indeed unusual but for this case it was protocol. The two men walked through the front door and right to the front desk. The receptionist saw them and didn't even need to see identification, and allowed them to pass.

"I see we've got the police in our pocket so to speak," said one of the priests. The younger one to be exact. The other man was leading him down the hallway and when he reached the office of the Chief he stopped with hand on the door handle. This older man was in his sixties but stood up straight and had a stern expression. His small bifocals made him look older though Father Jeremiah Jordan had been doing this practice since he was his partner's age. The younger man, a man by the name of Arias Webb, was in his early twenties and had just gotten his clearance into his new practice. Less than a month out of his training and he was still learning a few things.

Father Jordan turned to his colleague, keeping his voice down, "To say such a thing brings unwanted attention, Arias. Please keep your voice down. Oh, and one other thing: we are bound by natural agreement and a common goal. Money has little to do with the fact that the police let us pass without question."

Arias shook his head, more so out of how he thought that Jordan would say something more complimentary instead of correcting him.

Father Jordan knocked on the door before he opened it, and told Arias to wait outside while he spoke with the chief.

Arias went and sat down on the bench next to the door. The reason he was where at this hour instead of training back at the Order of St. Benedict was because if he was going to work within New York City he was going to need a free pass from the local authorities. Slayers worked in secret and outside the law to kill demons and the like, and they could never do their job effectively unless the authorities cooperated. In some cities in the US it was not an issue as the Orders had been working with them since they had settled in days of yore such as in Crystal Cove Massachusetts where the Order of Magdalene pretty much worked unimpeded.

'But that's because there is so many slayers,' Arias thought, not missing the days when he had been living in the Magdalene Order. The Benedict Order in New York was a well-oiled machine compared to the Magdalene Order. Arias was one of thirty slayers that had recently been transferred to New York, and he was by far the least experienced though he didn't seem bothered by that. He had been eager to get to the field and had been telling anyone who would listen on how much he wanted to do his job. Killing demons was what he had trained for, and he was itching to get going.

But first, protocol called for him to get clearance from the chief of police. After that was cleared as long as he kept himself in check and not cause too much trouble he could slay to his heart's content and not have to worry about the cops or the general public from knowing what he was doing.

The meeting between the chief and Father Jordan lasted nearly a half hour and when the older man came out of the office Arias stood up, hands shaking in anticipation.

"So, am I good to go?"

Father Jordan nodded, "You start tomorrow."

Arias felt his heart beat uncontrollably. "Great!"

Father Jordan put both hands on his young protégé's shoulders, "First, head home to rest, and then we can begin your preliminaries."

"Were it up to me I'd be getting my gear and going out there right now."

"I know you are eager, but you must exercise caution when you're so inexperienced," the old man said as he lead the way towards the exit of the station. "One misstep and you'll never get the chance to show what you can do."

"I don't care about what happens. I took this job so I can help take these monsters down. Constantly being held back from doing so is just frustrating," said Arias, spilling his heart out without even thinking.

Jordan sympathized with his protégé but stayed true to what he knew. "I used to be a slayer myself Arias. I was like you, overly eager and overly compulsive. I got the job done and everyone praised me, but only after I adopted a more cautious side. I don't want you to wait until it is too late to learn that lesson."

Arias nodded once, but he silently scoffed off his teacher's so called 'advice'. All he wanted was to fight. Caution was for the weak, and he wasn't going to be considered weak by anyone.


	4. Nero, Emisary of the Void

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A creature born of darkness with a hate for light and life is born from the Void. It's mission is simple and there may be nothing that could possibly stop it...

In the dark void of space, millions of light years away from Earth, a black hole forms unnaturally. Defying the will of nature and the law of science it comes into existence. Passing asteroids are sucked into its core never to be seen again, and the gravitational pull it creates alters some planets well beyond the telescopic lenses that humans could use to see it.

That's because this was no ordinary black hole.

The Void had its own remnants, and this preternatural black hole was one such remnant. It defied all laws to carry out its will. The return to the one true darkness, and in essence the destruction of all life in reality. It was all it knew and all it would ever know.

This black hole served as a gateway from some far away section of the universe, and like a door it was opened for one specific reason.

Zooming out of the center of the destructive Void was a being of unimaginable nature. It landed on an asteroid miles away from the black hole, creating a cloud of rock dust that came up from the impact and left cracks in the extraterrestrial rock. When the dust settled, a creature was standing on the surface.

Humanoid in appearance but nothing like one otherwise, the creature stood seven feet tall and what one would call 'skin' was as black as the void from which it was born. The only part of it that wasn't black was the center of its broad chest, which looked like a miniature sun that glowed a red-orange hue and pulsed in a steady rhythm like that of a heartbeat. A cloud of dark smoke bellowed off its shoulders and trailed behind it like a cloak. Red-orange eyes were on its otherwise featureless face. Long arms that gave the appearance of hands ended with three clawed fingers.

Chunks of the asteroid floated around the being like miniaturized satellites, but soon formed bits of armor on its limbs while leaving the chest and head open.

Yet the level of power this being contained was enough to literally destroy worlds, but it would not just destroy any planet. That wouldn't serve its purpose.

Without wasting time the creature took off from the asteroid, shattering it from the momentum it built to launch itself forward, and zoomed off into the dark emptiness of space. Where it was going it didn't truly know nor did it care. This being held no conscience of its own and followed only the will of the Void from which it was born from.

It went far and fast, faster than even the light it was born to hate, travelling through galaxy after galaxy until it reached a familiar one.

The Milky Way galaxy.

Passing through the outer galaxy, the being continued on with its purpose. It passed the dwarf planet Pluto and the outer planets of the Sol solar system. It came close to Jupiter, passing close enough to the Great Red Spot that for a moment it flashed orange before returning to normal.

It finally came to a stop at the asteroid belt before the inner planets of the system.

From there it could see the red planet Mars and well beyond that was its target. With a vision better than any telescope in existence the Void born monster could see the Earth in all its majestic beauty spinning in the darkness of space.

Its life at peace, its life safe and sound, and it was about to meet a painful reminder that peace came at a price.

Its eyes narrowed at the blue orb before it resumed its journey.

Earth was about to receive a new visitor.


	5. Atlach-nacha, Demon Spider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since the Great Ones hostile takeover of Earth, some monsters wasted no time in making the land that once belonged to humanity their own. And none took it with as much fervor as the dreaded Altach-nacha.

Under London was a creature many have heard of before, but fortunately never seen.

A creature of dread, this Atlach-nacha, for besides it eerie odd sounding name it called the subway systems of the city of London its home.

Nature would label it a spider, with eight limbs and an abdomen and eight eyes. Yet those eight eyes were atop a human head, which was attached to a torso to that spider abdomen. A male human torso with three digit claws, a terrifying sight to the bravest mind to be sure, was more frightening than his appearance let on. The body was a pale white all around.

Dwelling in the dark this creature waited in its lair like a hunter waiting for some poor unfortunate soul to step on its web and thus alert it to the monster's presence. Animals, monsters, or humans. It didn't matter to the spider monster; it still captured its prey without fail and with much fervor.

Yet even as the creature wrapped the newest captured quarry, a human man looking for shelter underground, it had no intention of eating him. The purpose of why it never ate what it ensnared in its web was a mystery that no one could solve. Not that anyone thought to ask or even try to figure out for obvious reasons. Of course, feeding was one thing the more interesting answer was what happened after the body was placed in the webbing

When the Calamity had befallen mankind at the arrival of the new millennium, Altach had gone to the newest place that fit its own needs: the subway system of merry old London. The Great Ones above had the land; it preferred the cold darkness below.

The creature rubbed its hands together anxiously, the closest to human emotion it sometimes got, as four of its other arms wrapped the unconscious human in its tough sticky webbing. The last pair of legs held onto the ceiling from where it hung upside down over a derailed subway car.

Its own heavy breathing, though it had no need to do so (no monster of the Eldritch had the need to breathe) was the only sound it was making until it could move onto its next task: which was to finish tying the webbing near the entrances of its lair. That was all it seemed to live for, other than to frighten humanity with the mere thought of its home.

A home it shared with only the rats that could hide where it could not reach, as well as the many small spiders it called its children.

The human body was dropped to the ground, from where Altach drove a clawed hand into the belly. From under its skin, thousands upon thousands or small white droplets popped out of its finger tips. Eggs, meant to hatch within a few hours and erupt from the poor soul from which served as a twisted womb. They would tear from the inside and work their way out before eating the corpse as their first meal. A fate worse than death.

Yet that was life for Atlach-nacha. It would serve that life, being near immortal and never having been faced with prey it could not handle.

For who would be insane enough to even try?

Atlach-nacha raised its head from its task, feeling the vibration of its web. Coming from the central station near Big Ben.

A new meal was near.


	6. Crime Boss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His name is Richie Pericotti, though they call him the Perakeet, don't tell that to his face.

Saturday night, Chicago.

The place was the Suite Spot, and no the title wasn't a jab of humor. In the northern section of town was a family by the name Pericotti, an Italian born and bred mafia family with ties back to the homeland that few others save the ones in New York wish they had.

Their reputation preceded them, and few crossed them, otherwise you might find yourself dead in an alley or tied to a rock at the bottom of a river.

Those were not mere threats either.

Tonight the main man himself was visiting his favorite restaurant, hoping to take a load off from a rough week of work.

Barely able to hide his girth in the suit he wore he was so overweight and a thin moustache under his thick nose, Richie Pericotti had little patience for others when he was in a foul mood. He took a seat at his favorite seat, in a far corner with a wall to his back, and it was there that he told everyone to lay off and leave him alone.

His four guards were off in separate areas of the large dining room. All were within ear shot of their boss should he want anything.

Sniffing heavily, signs of a sinus issue, Richie set his menu down on the glass table. His voice was heavy and thick with an accent. "Waiter! I'm ready."

A young man came over and pulled out a pen and paper pad. "Yes sir Mr. Pericotti, how may I help you?"

"For starters-" he blew his nose on a tissue and threw it at the man. It oozed snot and the man knew he was gonna have to grab it and get rid of it. "-tell Vinnie to come out here. I gots a job for him. Then get me ma steak and a glass of whiskey without ice. And make it snappy."

Hiding the urge to ask his boss to repeat any part of the order, the young man did as he was told and left, tossing the issue into a small pail nearby.

A man in a white and grey suit soon came up to the table. Slick black hair and a light beard covered the lower half of his face. Vincent Donoffario was a man few weren't intimidated by, and as the number one goon of the Pericotti family he had yet to fail in any job he had been tasked with by his boss. "Mr. P, how may I be of service?"

Richie's expression turned to as bright as a poorly lit lightbulb. "Vinnie my man!" He motioned for the man to sit at the table and he didn't decline. "I gots a problem for ye."

As soon as Vinnie sat down he put his black gloved hands on the table. He didn't ask what kind of problem his boss had. Now he just needed to shut up and listen to what the main man had to say.

Sighing loudly as a waitress brought a whiskey bottle over to the table and poured three glasses right away Vinnie downed one glass in a single gulp. "You see, words gone around that the Bellini family is looking to sell real estate near the lakes. I think I might be interested in gettin' it."

"I have heard of them selling vacant lots to the city," answered Vinnie, his expression remained solid.

"It's that young broad of Michael Bellini's doing. What's'er name...uh, oh yeah. Solara was 'er name. She's in charge of that deal. I'd like for you to go and ask her to meet me here so we can negotiate a deal."

"Sir, if I may ask, why so soon?"

A rare question from the big man was unusual but being a tactical man he preferred to have as much information on his side when it came to talking with members of the other mafia families. Solara Bellini was known as a beautiful woman, one which many a man had tried to win her heart but had failed, and yet when it came to her family and its business she was no slouch. She was highly educated.

Richie placed a heavy hand on the top of his bald head, "Because I need to get it over with as soon as I can, Vinnie. The Bellini's, as well as the Nottur family are moving up in the world and here I am wallowing in just a quarter of this stinkin' town. The Nottur's have run out most suppliers of drugs in town in the name of 'honorable business', and the Bellini's are putting on a better public image day by day. Makes me sick. Honestly, I can't stand having those two as my neighbors. They don't treat me with respect, and unless I show them I mean business I will never get any respect. More land would benefit me. I need to get more than a few streets under my name, know what I mean?"

Vinnie nodded. He understood, but he also had a potentially better idea. "I can send a runner to ask her for a meeting. However, having a meeting right away would make you look desperate, sir. May I suggest you have it another day?"

As much of a stubborn oaf Richie could be there were times he was given advice from his associates, and Vinnie was right there at the top. He took the man's words in carefully. Then he looked at his wrist watch. "Hrm, guess it is rather late...very well. Tell the runner to ask Solara if she could meet with me tomorrow at church service. She ought to be there praying or something."

"She is a proud Catholic. I'm sure she'll be there."

Setting his hands on the table Richie saw that his meal was finally making its way to him. But before he would get to it he needed to address one other thing for his guard.

"Should she disrespect me in the bargain let me know. I'll let that' blonde skank know who she is dealing with."

Vinnie got up from his seat. "Yes, Mr. P. Have a nice evening."

As his steak was delivered hot and fresh to him, Richie couldn't help but feel his spirits soar.


	7. Mastermind

Atros City, a metropolis of over four million, was the poster city for many things.

A growing city with multiple buildings being built, skyscrapers in the making with cranes filling the skyline and thriving businesses in both uptown and downtown. The suburbs were clean and families thrived in this coastal city.

It was the poster city for a place where you could bring your family to grow and prosper.

That was on the surface. Underneath it was totally different.

In Atros there was a huge gap between the rich and the lower class, so wide that the so-called middle class virtually didn't exist. Poverty ran wild in downtown with all the old buildings and dangerous zones that were filled with the homeless and the rabble. It was infested with gangs and dangerous people in a self-contained society of dog eat dog. Theft, rape, and murder were common and local law enforcement was pretty much inefficient to handle it, though their higher ups had probable cause to go and do so.

Uptown was better suited for the rich businessmen that took advantage of the lower class for cheap labor and other forms of work. They were safe and sound, counting their money from the highest floors of their corporate buildings.

One such building was the tallest building in the middle of the city called Carver Tower, a four corner two hundred story tall monstrosity made of concrete and steel, a massive structure owned by a man with as big of an ego. It was owned by a man named Joseph Carver and he was currently in his office on the highest floor, looking down on a city that he, for all intents and purposes, ruled with an iron fist. He was a tall man in his early thirties with a shaved head and dressed in a grew business suit with a red tie. He fit the look of a crooked politician though were he to be called that he would consider it a compliment.

He was currently using politics to make plans to further extend his reach in Atros, with a video conference to his 'cabinet' of sorts. On his window which just happened to also be a two way plasma screen were the faces of six city officials which included the Chief of Police, the executive producer of the Atros News Network, and even the Mayor.

"Gentlemen, I assume we're in position to begin the operation?"

The chief of police, an older obese man who had been under Carver's payroll for most of his career, nodded, "Yes sir. Preparations are nearing completion and should be ready to go by nightfall."

Nodding once, Carver asked the same question to the other five members of the circle.

"Of course sir, I have my office ready for the ensuing chaos and plan to ride it out. The banks will leave their vaults open and the department of transportation will cease all forms of traffic for the foreseeable future." The Mayor sat back in his chair, a young man who had no real experience with politics, and had literally been handed the office as well as huge amount of money to do Carver's bidding. Carver liked the younger minions, they were easier to manipulate.

"And as for the ANN feed?"

The producer of the ANN was a woman in her forties. Unlike the others, bribery hadn't worked with her, instead she had been blackmailed with very unforgiving pictures of her with a young man that was not her husband. Should those photos get out her career and marriage would be ruined, so she did what she was told.

"The ANN will only report the incidents in which it has been told to cover."

"Which is?" Carver asked.

She hesitated for a moment, "Which will be the moments when the police rally behind Mr. Carver in his push to save the city from the rioters."

Carver smiled, liking it so far, "Right, outstanding. Now, should all of you follow your orders to the letter, you will be rewarded with what I promised."

"What about us, Carver?"

The last two squares on the screen were of two young men who under normal circumstances would never be in the same room as the others. One was a young black man wearing a black leather coat and had a thick Jamaican accent. The other was an older white man wearing what Carver thought was a trench coat.

Both were the leaders of rival gangs, the largest and most powerful in the city, and they were also taking part of the operation Carver had designed. Though they were in it for a whole other reason. Not for money but for pride and power. The two gangs had been at war long before Carver had arrived in Atros and their conflicts were bloody and for the most part the police were unable to stop them.

"As per our agreement, as the rioting escalates the police will be more inclined to protect the uptown sections, leaving you two gentlemen to fight it out until the signal has been sent. After that happens, the two gangs will cease fighting for at least a day, and when the dust settles and I am made the savior of Atros, I will secretly leave downtown for you two to divide amongst yourselves. Without interference from the local authorities."

The man in the trench coat seemed satisfied, "Right, and how many casualties should we expect?"

"For the cameras, a few injured here and there from the riot police would be nice. Between you two...that won't matter to me."

Casualties make better news for those involved. Deaths were to be expected for this plan to be successful.

"Now, gentlemen, double check your preparations, for at dusk the operation will begin. Triple check even to make sure perfection is attained. The next time I see you, a new dawn will rise on this city."

The screens allswitchedoff right away, and Carver's mind became filled with images of what was going to happen in the next twenty-four , he wasn't worried about any of that, all he cared about was the end result and the aftermath that would propel him into the future."By the end of the night, when the sun rises, I will be seen as the man who saved Atros."


	8. Creature of Decay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An enemy of nature itself takes a stroll through a park, leaving death in its wake...

A rural park, lush and green. A family enjoying the cool summer morning. A picnic to enjoy the time spent together. Lush green trees gently swayed in the breeze, brightly colored flowers littered the area on the edges of the paved sidewalks and stone flower pots. Children played in the nearby playground without a care in the world. The air was fresh and clean, far away from the downtown area of noisy and rancid factories.

The stream nearby was worthy of a Norman Rockwell painting. An arched stone bridge crossed the stream which was barely two feet deep and yet clear blue.

Such a scene was the closest thing to what the earth should look like. The Green was the embodiment of Mother Nature herself, and it existed in every plant and animal since the time of creation.

Alas it was this form of Gaia that had an opposite, and eventually the peace was interrupted by the arrival of a being whose hatred for the Green was unimaginable.

Stepping out from the sewer pipe on the edge of the park was a hulking man shaped creature with deathly grey skin and a grim look on its face. It's flesh was decaying making it appear to be a zombie, held only together by a tight dark body suit, otherwise he would have fallen apart before his task would be completed.

Stepping into the water the creature looked around. The serene scene sickened him. Smelling strongly of death he walked through the water turning it a disgusting brown as he made his way to the bridge.

A man and a woman who had been enjoying each other's company recoiled at the sight and smell of this monster. First thing they tried to do was ask if there was anything wrong. They instead stumbled back in fear as the creature before them turned all plants around it to rot and die just by being in its presence. Leaves from the trees fell like they would in autumn but turn to ask before they hit the ground. Animals of all shapes and sizes fled as fast as they could away from the creature as it continued on its way toward the center of the park.

By now it was no longer unknown to the rest of the park as people grabbed their children and ran for their lives. All planet life around it died as it grew stronger from absorbing the life around it. Animals too fell in its presence, turning to skeletons within seconds, their flesh falling from their bones. Sadly that included people as well who had gotten caught in the ensuing death.

Within minutes of making its presence known the entire park was reduced to a land of death and desolation by the monster. It showed nothing of remorse or concern for what it had done.

A thick raspy voice utter only three words from a rotten mouth. "Hail, Lord Balor..."

For its name was Decay, and it would destroy the Green for its master.


End file.
